Chiefs in trouble in secondary after Charvarius Ward injury

Charvarius Ward will miss some time due to a fractured hand.

If there is one position that Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have to worry about this season, it’s cornerback. Not only did Kendall Fuller bolt for Washington in the offseason, but starting cornerback Bashaud Breeland was suspended for four games. Charvarius Ward has a lot on his plate, and he answered the call in the first half of Kansas City’s game against the Houston Texans.

Unfortunately for Steve Spagnuolo, Ward left the game in the second half after fracturing his hand, per Adam Schefter. He is going in for x-rays to determine the severity of the fracture and how much game time he will miss as a result of the injury.

Charvarius Ward was Kansas City’s top outside cornerback last season

Ward, who joined the Chiefs in 2018 as an undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State, emerged as a quality starter on their 2019 title-winning team. Ward started all 16 games, recording 74 tackles, defending 10 passes, and intercepting two of those errant throws. While not a household name, his performance in the playoffs next season established him as a quality starting cornerback in the pros.

Rashad Fenton, a 2019 sixth-round pick, will likely see more snaps after Ward’s injury. If there is any consolation for Kansas City fans worried about the state of their secondary, fourth-round rookie L’Jarius Sneed was extremely impressive in his debut, handling veteran speedster Brandin Cooks well before picking up his first career interception.

Kansas City’s secondary was already on shaky ground, and the Ward injury could be a tipping point if he is forced to miss a good chunk of time. Unless Fenton can match Ward’s level of play and Sneed can repeat his brilliant debut, Kansas City might need to get into a few shootouts this season.